Letters: Minimum wage, COVID thoughts and more | Dec. 4

Minimum wage has negative effect

Minimum wages have been increasing in recent years, and this has a negative effect across the board. I think minimum wages shouldn’t increase yearly or at the rate politicians want. Firstly, how it affects employment rates: “The 2019 CBO report estimates that raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 would result in the loss of approximately 1.3 million jobs.” If the increases of unemployment rates won’t change one’s mind, then the fact that businesses do pay employees over minimum wage might.

Secondly, small businesses in Washington do pay their workers over minimum wage. “When we asked survey respondents what percentage of their employees are being paid the minimum wage, the answer was telling: 58% said they were paying their employees more than the minimum wage.” At the end of day, an increase isn’t needed and when it is put into effect, directly impacts workers in a way that causes problems.

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Reader’s thoughts on COVID-19

Up until now, I’ve held off writing about this to the Tri-City Herald “Letters to the Editor.” Now seems like the right time!

Recently, I’ve learned the names of the following two opposing thoughts on effectively dealing with COVID-19. The first, the Great Barrington Declaration, deals with herd immunity as a means to effectively control COVID-19. The second is the John Snow Memorandum that urges governments to do whatever they think is necessary to suppress the spread of a disease. I urge all of you to learn all you can about these and lobby our elected local and state officials to act as you think is in our best interest.

By education and career, I’m a chemical engineer. From all that I know, I believe the Great Barrington Declaration is best overall for us all and that it would result in the least overall harm to what we care about the most where we live in Eastern Washington.

As with any risks, those with severe pre-existing conditions and for that matter anyone can and should, if they choose, self-isolate and self-quarantine as deemed necessary.

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Skeptical of new plan for old KGH

Here we go again? Your recent editorial supporting the (Kennewick) Hospital District’s plans to reacquire the old hospital and convert it to a mental health and drug rehab facility misses the point.

I wonder if the taxpayers would have initially created the district for such a minor and incidental purpose as opposed to the creation and operation of a full general hospital. As I understand it, as part of the bankruptcy deal, the district is still under a $1 million per year obligation for another 7 to 8 years payable to the new hospital purchasers. We have to admit that the board’s past performance is wanting if not indicative of misfeasance. How about putting the proposal back to the taxpayers and let them have a say? That way all will have an opportunity to contribute pros and cons and test the assumptions the board and Herald have made.

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Learn to survive like all of us have

It’s incredibly disappointing to see some local businesses act like defying Coronovirus closings are in some way noble. Is running a red light acceptable? Is speeding on a residential street? Is ignoring a stop sign?

There are many small, careless acts that you might survive countless times, but the time you don’t, it’s a time too late. None of this has been easy, whether you’re a person surviving paycheck to paycheck, a business owner or someone who’s facing this head on in the medical field. Please, for all of our sakes, stop acting like spoiled children and figure out how to survive this like the rest of us have been doing for so many months.

This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Minimum wage, COVID thoughts and more | Dec. 4."